Medio maratón de Philadelphia (16/set)

"Philadelphia, USA - The 30th anniversary Philadelphia Distance Run (Half Marathon) on 16 September promises to be one of the most wide open men’s races in the last ten years with the defending champion out, and only one past champion in a professional field of 37 men. On the women’s side, Edna Kiplagat from Kenya returns to better her 2006 second place finish.

Kenyan, Julius Kibet, 25, returns after winning the 2004 Philadelphia Distance Run in a time of 1 hour, 1 minute, 18 seconds. He will be joined by last year's third place finisher, countryman Linus Maiyo, 24. Both Kibet and Maiyo are among eleven runners who are coming to Philadelphia fresh from the Rock `n` Roll Half Marathon held two weeks ago in Virginia Beach.

Kenyan, Tom Nyariki, 36, who is blind in one eye from a 2003 assault and carjacking in Kenya, ran third in Virginia Beach. Nyariki’s career highlights include a win at the 2006 New York City Half Marathon (1:01:22), and 1997 bronze medals at both the World Championships (5000) and World Cross Country Championships.

Another contender with world championship credentials is Nyariki's Kimbia Athletics teammate John Yuda, 27, from Tanzania. Yuda finished third in both the 2001 and 2002 World Half Marathon Championships, and carries a personal best of 1:00:02 for the half-marathon, fastest in this year’s Philadelphia field.

The women's field features last year's runner-up, Edna Kiplagat, 27, from Kenya, who won her second straight Rock `n` Roll Half Marathon in Virginia Beach two weeks ago. It was her fifth win of the year, but victory in Philadelphia is not certain. She will have to contend with Pamela Chepchumba, 28, also from Kenya, who has the fastest half-marathon time in the field (1:08:57).

Also challenging are Japanese runners Akemi Ozaki, 29, and twins Takami and Hiromi Ominami, 31. Osaki, was second at the 2006 Tokyo Women’s Marathon. Takami and Hiromi finished first and second respectively at the America's Finest City Half Marathon held this past August in San Diego, Calif.

A runner to watch on race day is Kenyan Alice Timbilili, 24, who ran second at the prestigious Peachtree Road Race 10k in Atlanta on July 4, 2007. Her time of 31:47 remains one of the fastest road 10k times of the year."

Ian Monahan – Elite Racing – for IAAF